Kyren Wilson completed a 10-1 first-round thrashing of Dominic Dale but missed out on making his second maximum 147 break at the Crucible.
Wilson, the 2020 runner-up, held an 8-1 lead after the first session against 52-year-old Welshman Dale – the oldest player at this year’s World Snooker Championship.
The Englishman made a break of 65 to move one frame away and then potted 11 reds and 11 blacks as he aimed to make only the 15th maximum at the Sheffield venue since it started hosting the tournament in 1977.
But he missed a red as his break ended at 88.
If he had completed it, it would have been Wilson’s second 147 in successive years at the Crucible after he made one in a 10-5 first-round win over Ryan Day in 2023.
There is a prize pot of £40,000 for a 147 at this year’s main draw event, with the money to be shared if more than one player makes a maximum.
That is on top of a share of £15,000 for the highest break in the whole tournament, with that money currently destined for Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham, who made a 147 in his third qualifying round win over Andy Hicks.